▪ I. toff, n. slang.
(tɒf)
Also rarely toft.
[Perh. a vulgar perversion of tuft, as formerly applied to a nobleman or gentleman-commoner at Oxford.]
a. An appellation, orig. given by the lower classes, to a person who is stylishly dressed or who has a smart appearance; a swell; hence, one of the well-to-do, a ‘nob’.
| 1851 Mayhew Lond. Labour I. 217/2. Ibid. (1864) II. 562/1 If it's a lady and gentleman, then we cries, ‘A toff and a doll!’ 1865 Slang Dict., Toft, a showy individual, a swell. 1883 Fortn. Rev. Dec. 852 The poets who are here are tremendous proud toffs. 1900 A. Upward Eben. Lobb 130 Nonsense, man,..why, in these days a jockey is no end of a toff. 1901 Essex Weekly News 29 Mar. 2/1 She..declared that tramps were treated like toffs at Stanway Workhouse. |
b. Sometimes applied in compliment to a person who behaves ‘handsomely’; a ‘brick’.
| 1898 Brit. Weekly 27 Jan. 306/2 A Paisley bailie let off a man easier than the culprit expected, and was addressed, ‘Thank you, sir, you're an old toff’. This was meant for a compliment. 1906 Daily Chron. 25 May 4/7 One of the witnesses..spoke of a generous employer as ‘a regular toff’. ‘Toff’ is perhaps the highest compliment, or the bitterest sneer, according to the tone, that a man who does not make any pretence to magnificence can aim at a man who does. |
Hence ˈtoffish, ˈtoffy adjs., like or characteristic of a ‘toff’, stylish; also ˈtoffishness, behaviour characteristic of a ‘toff’.
| 1873 J. Greenwood In Strange Company 43 Thick slices, bear in mind: anything under an inch thick would be regarded with contempt by the bony young barrow⁓man, and perhaps with an uncomfortable suspicion that you have designs to inveigle him into the detestable ways of gentility. He calls it ‘toffishness’. Ibid., To affect thin bread and butter is undoubtedly ‘toffish’. c 1876 J. Albery Dramatic Wks. (1939) II. 105 But only because his toffishness wexes me. 1898 Westm. Gaz. 13 Jan. 4/2 He wore a ‘toffish’ side pocket jacket, which fitted him like a glove. 1901 J. K. Jerome Obs. Henry 31 Toffy enough she looked in her diamonds and furs. |
▪ II. toff, v. slang.
(tɒf)
[f. toff n.]
trans. and refl. To dress up like a ‘toff’.
| 1914 D. H. Lawrence Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd i. i. 5 He'd got a game on somewhere—toffed himself up to the nines, and skedaddled off as brisk as a turkey-cock. 1928 East End Star Dec. 2/2 Notice the perfect stillness when the ‘lovely lidy all toffed up’ sings. 1932 L. Golding Magnolia Street ii. ii. 298 The fellows come in [to a hair-dressing saloon] when they're on leave. They want to get toffed up for their girls. |